Hollywood's distorted lens of beauty.......

[poltr1]

A recent featurette in People magazine showed pictures of Renee Zellwegger in various roles and poses, including her as Bridget Jones in the two movies. And I'll say it: She's just plain cute as herself (except for the squinty-eyes poses), but when she's plumped up, she's *hot*! She should have kept the pudge on. Yo-yo dieting isn't healthy!

Kate Winslet was recently on the cover of one of the womens' magazines I see by the checkout. (Glamour, I think.) She's another hottie, in my book. (Has been since Titanic.) Yet there are some folks out there that insist she's too fat. Excuse me? She's just right! ;-)

Some other of my favorite actresses are Jennifer Connolly, Drew Barrymore, and Christina Ricci. What do they have in common? Right. Larger-than-your-typical-actress dress sizes.


Why is it that Hollywood insists on stick-thin actresses? And why are people of average build called "fat" by people in the industry? It perpetuates this distorted myth that in order to be beautiful, a woman has to be paper-thin. It's not healthy and it's just not true.

If Marilyn Monroe were alive today, she'd be branded as "fat" as well.

A few years ago, there was a magazine called Mode. It featured plus-sized models, and they all looked gorgeous. Sadly, the magazine ceased publication.

Now there's another magazine, called Real which may cater to the same crowd, although the emphasis has appeared to have shifted a bit. As their tagline reads, "Being REAL means being okay with who you are." And that's inner beauty.

Time to come clean. I have an affinity for larger women. I have no idea where that comes from -- genetics, conditioning, or some other area. Many of my past girlfriends and lovers were larger women. So is my wife. Or maybe I know something that the men who favor smaller women don't know: Real Women Have Curves! Or to put it a little more suggestively, "The bigger the cushion, the better the pushin'." ;-)

I can't be the only guy here with this opinion.

Comments

[queensheba.livejournal.com]

Jennifer Connelly and Christina Ricci, large? I think you need to look for some recent photos of these two. Both have been widely touted as being way, way thin. Ricci reputedly struggles with an eating disorder.

If they're large, I'm a Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade float.

[poltr1]

OK, OK. I was going on my sometimes faulty memory. And I thought I saw or heard someone describe both of them as fat.

You're welcome to prove me wrong, but I think that the "distorted beauty" image of Hollywood I cited in the original post is a major factor in eating disorders like bulimia and anorexia. (And I really ought to read Reviving Ophelia.)

Large or average size, I still think they look great to me. Yow!

[mrlogic.livejournal.com]

It's always nice to see that there are plenty of points of view, and preferences, to go around. There's always something for everyone.

[doctor-teeth.livejournal.com]

I know what you are getting at, especially about Drew Barrymore and Christina Ricci. My mental image of them is.. well... voloptuous. Think Drew in Wayne's World 2 and Christina in Sleepy Hollow. They are both softer women, not all angles like Jennifer Aniston or Nicole Kidman. I really go for soft-looking women.

As a side note, C.R.'s weight really fluctuates, and it gets really obvious in her face when she has lost too much weight.

[dark-kiss-angel.livejournal.com]

We were just talking about this in my people and religion class. How in places like India women of all sizes are fine with their bodies. In counties like that they do not have all these teens running around with eating disorders and such. It is sad....

Thats one thing I can say...... while I want to lose some weight, I just want to do it to be healthy. I do not want to look like a stick that could blow away when someone breaths on her. If I ever for some odd reason end up that thin, please shoot me dead right on the spot.

[poltr1]

How in places like India women of all sizes are fine with their bodies.

And in Mexico and other Latin American countries too. Several months ago, I saw a Latina magazine on the stands -- forgot the name -- and the chica on the cover looked muy bueno!

while I want to lose some weight, I just want to do it to be healthy.

Me too. Slow is the way to go. None of this crazy diet du jour crap. Give me something that's scientifically proven, not some fad or distorted plan. (I've been loosely following the Sugar Busters plan. Not as stringent or insane as Atkins.)